Brandon Walsh
Brandon Walsh, portrayed by Jason Priestley, was the longtime lead character of Beverly Hills, 90210. To date, his substantial role in this series marks his only appearance in the ''Beverly Hills, 90210'' continuity. Character overview After moving from Minnesota to California with their parents, Jim and Cindy, Brandon and his sister Brenda enrolled in the West Beverly Hills High School, where they would meet several new friends. A largely virtuous and ethical character, Brandon gained numerous admirers throughout the course of the series, attracting the romantic attention of many women, and earning the respect of several friends—notably Steve Sanders and Dylan McKay. Even Brandon's sister Brenda is shown to harbor a particular fondness for his character at times, openly telling him at one point that he truly is her best friend, to which Brandon responds that he hopes he always will be. Love life Brandon had several romantic interests during the course of Beverly Hills, 90210, largely portrayed by series guest stars. Throughout the first two seasons, he was often seen with a love interest for only one episode, as was the case with his old girlfriend Sheryl (Paula Irvive). On rarer occasions during this period, he was instead paired with a recurring character, such as the troubled Emily Valentine (Christine Elise). From Season 3 onward, Brandon was given longer-term, more serious relationships. The following summarizes a few of his most notable involvements. Kelly Taylor Shortly after his arrival in Beverly Hills, Brandon met a girl named Kelly Taylor (Jennie Garth), who would become his primary romantic interest throughout his years on the series. Brandon and Kelly became friendly through mutual acquaintances, and harbored secret attractions to one another from the beginning. In time, Kelly grew eager to begin a relationship and excitedly pursued Brandon by arranging a date with him at their Spring Dance. However, Brandon restrained his feelings out of respect for his new friend Steve, who happened to be Kelly’s ex, and because he eventually viewed Kelly as a sister-figure due to her friendship with Brenda. After confronting and resolving these matters, the pair acknowledged their attraction, but initially decided to simply be friends. Years later, Brandon and Kelly’s feelings for one another began to flare once again. It was during this period that Kelly had begun to outgrow her teenage roots, becoming less self-absorbed and revealing a more sensitive and mature side to her personality. This was put on display when Kelly paid Brandon a surprise visit during a trip out of town, and—in contrast to her previous approach—expressed her affections in a very discreet and gradual manner. Brandon, who had lately become closer to Kelly than ever before, was effectively touched by her actions, and from that point onward their relationship evolved from simple attraction to a genuinely loving bond. In addition to her relationship with Brandon, Kelly has had long-standing ties to his family, having received motherly affection from Cindy while sharing a close friendship with Brenda. Just before Kelly could become a Walsh herself, however, she and Brandon chose to calmly abort their wedding in the eighth season, and parted on friendly terms in the ninth. Nikki Witt Nikki Witt, played by Dana Barron, provided Brandon with his first long-term on-screen romance, subsequently becoming his first serious girlfriend in Beverly Hills. Meeting in Season 3, Brandon and Nikki dated from the beginning of the school year until Christmas, separating when she moved home to San Francisco. They were introduced through several occurrences of bumping into each other, and via a mixture of charm, humor, and friendly conversation, became gradually more interested in one another. Though Brandon initially resisted her upon learning of their age difference, Nikki—aware that their attraction was mutual—maintained interest, eventually winning his affection. Lucinda Nicholson Introduced in Season 4, Lucinda Nicholson, played by Dina Meyer, was a married professor at Brandon’s university. Though they at first had reservations about seeing each other, they eventually embarked on a brief and secret affair. After finding himself displeased with some of Lucinda’s actions—which included taking a romantic interest in Dylan—Brandon ended the relationship. Profession Brandon is a journalist who wrote for his high school paper during the series' early years, and ran a publication with Steve and David after reaching adulthood. He departed the show after accepting a job at a newspaper out of town.